Can Midwifery be taught?

[Indadhanu]

I guess the biggest thing is..... everyone has to start somewhere. Whether they are young people or even mature age who have never had kids, as well as parents of all ages. There was a stage where you once knew nothing about pregnancy or birth at all as well!

I do get what you mean though, I am doing a few human services subjects this semester, and they are trying to 'teach' open-mindedness and compassion and you just wonder sometimes if its something that can be taught... though like anything I guess it is definately a skill that can be acquired. Plus some of the most daft questions I've heard IN MY LIFE!!!

Just remember to breathe and think... they have to start somewhere! Even the best midwives once knew nothing! And sometimes its better for someone to enter a profession NOT thinking they know everything about it and just need to do this for a piece of paper to show people IKYWIM... naive and clueless students can often be a lot more open and receptive to new things, whereas those who think they know it all usually close themselves off to new experiences because they think they know what they need to and don't need to experience.

[Trillian]

I think it can, but I really think you need a good dose of passion and not just a 'ooooh babies are soooo cute' mentality. This country is crying out for midwives, but we need great ones, ones who are sensitive to a birthing womans needs. I would worry that some of the ones who are 'taught' to be midwives will be become products of the 'system' they learn through.

[Tami]

I definitely think Midwifery can be taught. With my fourth child I had a youngish midwife who had only been out in the field 6 months and did not have chldren of her own and she was brilliant, so good in fact that she inspired me to start my degree, which sadly after 2yrs I was unable to complete due to various reasons.
In the year I started training only a 1/4 of the class were mothers and those that weren't were all in their mid 20's or younger. I have kept in contact with alot of my class and most of them have gone on to be brilliant midwives.
I think if it is an area that you are passionate about and willing to give 100% to then it can be taught like most other things.

[feeb]

It can be taught.

I myself started mid when i was 23 and had no kids (i did know a fair bit having a mum who is a midwife) granted i did mid after i had done nursing and worked for a few years, but some of the direct entry mid girls are the most caring supportive midwives you can ask for.

A lot of being a midwife has to do with your personality and traits anyone can be taught to catch a baby but mid is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more than that you need to be a counsellor, good listener, advoacte, sholder to cry on and so much more, the birth is such a tiny insignificant part of the whole process of pregnancy.

[~Raven~]

I think it can. I've had both good and bad experiences with young midwives and also with older ones. I really think it has more to do with the person and their natural empathy for others than their own personal experience.

[~mamaspice~]

I can totally understand your frustration re: the "babies are soo cute" comments and the fact that some did not know what Gestation & Placenta meant. It does make you wonder whether some of these girls really have the calling to be a midwife cause if so, would't they have already learn't some of this fairly basic stuff just out of general interest?

As Feeb said though, I definately do believe it can be learn't. But is does take a special kind of person to be a midwife. There are many good midwives out there - young and old but there are also too many crappy ones too, and age does not seem to discriminate there. . .

[SamanthaP]

I have um'ed and aah'ed about answering this thread for awhile. I don't think that midwifery can be taught. I think it is something you learn by sitting at the feet of women, again and again and again. So many BMid and RN/RM's know nothing. They know how to control women, they know how to prime a line quickly and they can do drug calculations in a split second, but are they midwives? Nup. Hopefully some of those younger midwives will mature as they work within the hospital system to see that the vast majority of things that happen are not ok, and they certainly aren't midwifery.